(Amaia)

(A special thanks to every single reader who has read this far. Thank you for reading my story, I appreciate you all.)

The winter door closes behind us plunging us into darkness. The place we have walked in is neither hot nor cold, and yet there is a hint of evil and foreboding hanging in the air.

We drag ourselves forward. Both Rahria and Kacir are injured, although their injuries are healing quickly; they are also exhausted from the continuous fighting.

I am running purely on adrenaline and madness, knowing I might not survive long with my identity revealed to the world.

Mintaka is grieved and yet I sense his rage through the bond. He takes my free hand in his and squeezes.

With my fae eyesight, I can see better in the dark.

"I don’t think any other team made it," Rahria whispers from behind me.

"Two were annihilated by Team Istrale and I think werewolves lost their way after we left them there. Maybe they couldn’t find the next door or the monsters got them," Kacir summarises the scenarios.

"What do you think we will be facing now?" Rahria asks.

To answer her question, we hear the familiar rattling associated with Chitterings. They are here, right ahead of us.

"Bloody Chitterings," Mintaka hisses beside me. I let go of his hand and he takes Alnitak’s weapon from Kacir, holding it in his left hand, swinging the sharp blade.

We have entered a hard, stony circular ground. In the mass of darkness, there are pale lights embedded in the ceiling which appear like an ancient cave.

A cold feeling seeps into me, there is something else too. Another creature, far superior to the Chitterings.

Our eyes focus and in the distance we see it.

"What in the world is that monstrosity?" Rahria sharply draws in a shocked breath. We collectively witness the scene in front of us.

Under the lights stands a colossal creature flanked by two Chitterings. My breath comes out heavy seeing this monstrosity we are needed to face.

To say it is a nightmarish fusion of dragon, hydra, and a serpent; a true embodiment of chaos and destruction would not be untrue.

It stands upright with a massive, muscular humanoid torso covered in dark, armoured scales. Its chest and arms are thick and powerful, ending in clawed hands crackling with purple lightning. Jagged black spines run along its shoulders and back, giving it a savage, untamed presence.

From its back rise multiple serpentine dragon heads, each snarling with glowing eyes and razor-sharp fangs. All of them are focused on us.

The central head is the largest, demonic, with blazing orange-red eyes and a crown of wild, spiked mane-like scales. Vast, tattered bat-like wings stretch outward, adding to its terrifying dominance.

Below the waist, its body transforms into a massive coiling serpent tail, thick and muscular, winding across the stony ground. The environment around it feels heavy, almost suffocating.

The Chitterings beside it add to the ominousness.

I quietly tell them. "Close your eyes, don’t open them until I say." I have to end these Chitterings first, we can worry about the creature later.

"So that’s the creature we are going to be fighting?" Kacir says, his chains rattle in his hands while he closes his eyes.

Rahria does the same but Mintaka turns to face me.

"You can’t do it alone."

"Yes, I can. At least I can kill these Chitterings." I tilt my head towards the creature who is menacingly watching us. "That thing will take a combined effort. So trust me."

Mintaka places both battle-axes on his thick shoulders and reluctantly obeys.

I boldly turn towards the ugly abominations. The hissing of Chitterings grows louder, they sweep forward like hideous wreaths of insects and nightmares. Coming for my companions and me.

But I am ready.

My sword hums with my magic. It’s so strong that the very air around me buzzes with it. The particles charge, my hair lifts, wings flutter—both the blades swing above my head letting the full brunt of my electric and fire powers seep out.

The thunderstorm and magma seem to have amalgamated, creating this volatile elemental fury which I hurl towards the approaching aberrations. It hits them full force, like the thunder rumbling and fire burning.

Their chittering grows louder, their bodies set on fire, surrounded by crackling electricity and...

Whoosh!!!

They disintegrate into ashes like Team Istrale. Similar to the last time I faced these bloody Chitterings.

I pant, using combined elemental powers is taking a toll on me and I am unsure how much of my energy is left.

My attention is finally turned while I snatch in deep breaths, leaning on my sword.

Across the battlefield, the creature towers above the ground. All its fury-filled eyes focused on me.

"Guys, you can open your eyes," I quietly tell my companions, trying to regulate my breathing.

They open their eyes and focus on the creature we are supposed to face.

Wings like torn shadows blot out the lights above. Its scaled torso ripples with monstrous strength. Each breath it draws makes his body heave. Serpentine coils crush stone beneath its weight as it glides forward. Six snarling dragon heads writhe behind the central face that glares down at us with molten red eyes.

"Chitterings are gone, let’s kill this bastard and get it done with," Mintaka steps forward first, axes rolling in his grip. "Same formation as we had during drills."

We nod behind him.

Kacir’s chain slithers through his fingers like a living thing. Rahria stands at my side, jaw tight, already trembling on the edge of transformation.

The creature roars, making the very walls of this cave-like formation shake with its fierce growls. The dust and stones rain down from the roof of the cave.

The sound isn’t just noise, it’s a force. It slams into my chest and shoves us back several steps.

The creature moves faster than something that large should.

One serpent head lunges toward Mintaka. He pivots, axes crossing in a bright X of steel. Ice explodes outward from him in a blinding surge. Frost races over its scales mid-strike, freezing the head’s jaws open before they can snap shut and bite.

"Now!" he shouts.

Kacir’s chain whistles past me, wrapping around the frozen neck. He twists his body and pulls hard, using all his force. The ice-crusted head is yanked apart from the creature’s body and slams into the rock. It shatters in a spray of black blood and frozen shards.

The monster screams in agony and rage, its tail frantically lashes.

I barely raise an earthly shield in time, banging the sharp blade of my sword on the ground. The energy ripples from it and into the earth. The stones erupt from the ground, intercepting the tail’s impact. The force cracks my barrier and sends shockwaves up my arms.

Too strong. The creature is too strong and I am tiring out fast. We need to kill it quickly.

Two more heads dive for Rahria. She doesn’t retreat but jumps ahead through the air. Her bones shift and crack. Fur tears through her skin. In seconds she is in her wolf form. She launches upward, claws digging into scaled flesh, teeth sinking into the throat of one head. Another head snaps toward her flank. I move without thinking.

Winds and my wings hurl me upward. I am using elements just by thinking about them. They are lifting me, obeying my commands. My blade ignites as I call fire into it. I spin midair and slice downward. The flaming arc severs the attacking head cleanly. It crashes down on the hard ground.

The perfect teamwork we execute.

The beast beats its wings, slamming the right one into me like a charging ram. I twist, summoning wind to catch myself, but I still hit the ground hard.

Pain lances through my ribs and body and I push it aside.

"Amaia!" Mintaka’s concerned scream echoes around me.

"I am fine!"

I press my palm against the earth and pull myself up. Placing my weight on my sword, I click it against the ground. The stones surge upward in jagged spikes beneath the creature’s coiled body. Several impale its lower serpentine mass, forcing it to scuttle back with pained roars.

Mintaka charges forward, axes glowing blue. He leaps impossibly high and buries both blades into the creature’s chest.

Ice detonates from the impact.

Frost crawls across black scales, racing over muscle and sinew. The central head roars and grabs him midair with crackling claws. Purple lightning erupts from the creature.

Mintaka screams in pain and my whole being goes restless. I am not even thinking anymore. I need to protect my mates no matter the cost. They already know that I am an elemental Fae, I have shown them by using all the elements.

I slash at it like lightning, striking it until it screams and Mintaka is set free. I pull him back towards me.

We both land hard. His breath is ragged as he says, "It’s adapting."

I see it too.

The severed necks are not bleeding freely anymore. Flesh writhes at the stumps. Regenerating. We need to end it fast.

(Find the picture of the creature in the comments section)